1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drawer guiding system with automatic closing and opening means comprising a device arranged between two reciprocally displaceable parts of a drawer rail and/or a furniture mounting rail, which allows automatic closing and stopping and/or slowing of the drawer movement within the piece of furniture a short distance before reaching the closed position and which if appropriate also allows slowing down and/or stopping of pull-out displacement a short distance before reaching the full withdrawal length of the drawer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the case of single pulls or telescopic pulls for drawers which have been known hitherto it is known to provide slopes between the guiding rails at the furniture and drawer sides for the purpose of ensuring an automatic closure of the drawer at a short distance before reaching the closed position and conversely to ensure a damping action on the pull-out displacement from a short distance before reaching the withdrawn position. It is known that the drawer may also be locked to the piece of furniture in the pulled-out position. It is further known that the closing displacement may also be damped.
It has consequently been known before now to make use of a damping and locking action in the closed position as well as a damping and locking action in the open position.
Known devices of this type were based on mechanical locking principles only, until now. For example, that the guiding rollers of the guiding rail system may be allowed to roll along appropriate inclines to obtain the required locking actions at the positions described.
It is a disadvantage in the application of such inclines that the drawer is moved vertically relative to the furniture body and that the horizontal gap between the furniture front panel and the drawer front panel varies disadvantageously and unattractively.
Known mechanical damping systems of this type are inadequate moreover to fulfil the requirements applicable for damping heavy drawer loads and an increased handling effort is also required since a considerable resistance has to be overcome initially to pull the drawer up the incline from the inserted position.
The disadvantage arises furthermore of undesirable noise generation during the operation of these damping means and of comparatively high production costs involved in making the guide rails with the required slopes. Furthermore, the service life of the guiding rollers or rolling elements rolling along on the guide is limited.